Thursday, November 17, 2016

Your favorite bartender is headed on vacation - and this time it isn't all handsome hunks and high heels. More like grumpy gators and a grandmother on the side as Vicki heads to Louisiana for the holidays.

So with neither fanfare nor frolicking and with nary a nudge (okay, maybe a little), catch the first glimpse of the brand new cover for KNOCK BEFORE YOU ENTER, book three in the Bartender Babe Chronicles coming December 15th.

Thursday, November 10, 2016

Hey, readers! If you aren't yet aware, I've partnered with fellow author William Brian Johnson to host a podcast on writing and self-publishing - and we've got a new episode posted on D A Bale Publishing.

Click on the Podcast tab up above or HERE for the link to all four episodes thus far, including the most recent Episode 4: Marketing for Idiots, Complete Idiots, No Not You. Some of the promotional websites we discuss during this episode are referenced below:

Monday, October 31, 2016

On this auspicious day of candy and capers, I offer up an announcement guaranteed to rot your brain better than a year of candy bars.

There's a podcast going on.

Yes sirree. After months of working out the details and tripping over ourselves through the whims of the weather, I've partnered with a fellow writer to put together Coffee and Catastrophe...Writers on a Caffeine High, a podcast on novel writing and the ever-changing realm of indie publishing. We'll converse about general principles, the important rules of novel writing, my personal experience with many of the marketing websites out there, NaNoWriMo, and what it's really like to visit the Vomitarium.

You read that right - but you'll have to listen to find out more.

If you've visited the site within the past week, you'll notice a new tab at the top labeled Podcasts. Or you can click on the link HERE and follow the few episodes posted thus far. Each episode is just under thirty minutes, and the plan is to post new episodes weekly.

So join me and co-host William Brian Johnson as we explore this world of novel writing and self-publishing. Or just laugh at us as we try to navigate our way through the podcast experience. Either way, we promise a wild and interesting ride.

Thursday, September 29, 2016

Last week I had the pleasure of introducing you to bestselling author Elle Casey in part one of her interview (read HERE). This week we continue our discussion about life and writing within the world of self-publishing.

DAB:Have
you written stories your whole life or only recently when deciding to pursue a
novel writing career?EC:I
have written stores my whole life, unofficially. I remember writing a romance
for a girlfriend of mine in seventh grade who had an unrequited crush on a boy.
It featured her as the main character and him as the boy pursuing her. She
begged me for new chapters everyday. That was fun to do, but we were always
panicked someone would get their hands on it. I also did a lot of letter
writing when I was very young, as a teenager, and in my 20s, before computers
and printers were in every house. In those letters I told stories and many
people have saved them because they liked them so much. I’m an attorney (one of
those many work lives I mentioned) and there's an awful lot of writing included
in that career field, although it’s mostly non-fiction. I decided to try
writing novels in November 2011. I had read an article about Amanda Hocking and
that inspired me to try.DAB: Inspiration well channeled, I must say. Going from being an attorney to a teacher and now an author, did
those around you support your career decision or did you struggle with
detractors?EC: Anyone
who knew how well I was doing was absolutely supportive. Other people who were
kind of clueless about self-publishing probably thought I was a weirdo, but I
didn't pay any attention to them.DAB: Not so easy to do sometimes, but good thing your husband and family were firmly in your corner. That had to make you breathe a little easier, but what were some things you researched before diving into this crazy new
self-publishing world?EC: When
I read about Darcie Chan and Amanda Hocking and how they were publishing
directly to readers without the middlemen, and how they did it almost
immediately after they were done writing and editing their books, I decided
this was something I'd like to try. My goal was to sell my first book to
a single stranger who liked it, and I figured if I was able to accomplish that
goal, it would mean that I had a possible future as a writer. I achieved that goal
in my first month of publishing.

DAB: Ha! What would you say to those detractors now?EC: I don't feel the need to say anything. My success speaks for itself. Some people are just negative by nature, and I don't waste my time on them.DAB: And what a success it is too, with so many books published in such a short time. So what
steps do you take to get the word out about an upcoming release?EC: My
assistant gets in touch with my ARC team, we run ads, use social media and my
newsletter to let as many readers know about the new book as possible. I
sometimes will run contests for free or reduced price books. I will also do
cross-promotions with other authors where we share each other's work with our
readers to help spread the word. When I have a release with Montlake, they do
price promotions, use NetGalley to get reviewers on board, Goodreads giveaways,
and other promotional levers that only Amazon has access to.DAB: Ah, I've seen some of this implemented in your newsletter (sign up for Elle's newsletter HERE). How
far ahead of release do you begin your marketing campaign, and how does
publishing a book every six weeks or so affect planning?EC: Not
far, since I publish so frequently. I finish a book, get started on a new one,
and my team starts the marketing machine going as we release the new book. That
goes for my indie books. My trad books with Montlake follow their plan, which
is marketing months out.DAB: After
a new release, is there a process you go through when deciding what novel to
work on next?EC: Usually
I will work on the books fans most want me to work on, and I try to spread
myself out among genres. For example, my fantasy readers have been waiting for
the next War of the Fae books for a loooong time. They’re next. But
sometimes I have contractual obligations that decide which book I’m working on.DAB: Waiting for more DRIFERS' ALLIANCE here. I just love Captain Cass and the Ginger Twins (hey, sounds like a music group). So who
is your favorite created character thus far, and why?EC: Probably
Tim the pixie in the War of the Fae series. He’s a blast. Whenever I’m writing
his dialogue or have him in a scene, my spirits are soaring. It’s impossible
not to love that little guy.DAB: Okay, you've convinced me. Now I'm gonna have to try your WOTF fantasy series. Speaking of fantasy, have your travels and life experiences bled into any stories you've written?

EC: I took a trip to Scotland and the Isle of Skye a couple of years ago, and I stumbled upon some information about the McKenzie clan. That’s what sparked my novel Shine Not Burn which made the New York Times bestseller list. I also used the setting in my War of the Fae books. Scotland and the Isle of Skye are magical places. I think it's impossible not to be inspired there.DAB: Sounds heavenly! I'll have to depend upon your imagination/inspiration there. Settings aside, how
do your characters/plots come to you?Dreams?Situations?An amalgamation of people you know?EC: Life.
My past. My future. Things I see on the street or daydream or nightdream about.
Sometimes weird stories on Yahoo.com are fodder for good books too.DAB: Isn't that the truth? Life oftentimes is literally stranger than fiction, but that doesn't stop us from reading about it, eh? What is
your preferred reading medium (paper, electronic, audio), and what are you
reading right now?EC: I
read in both paper and e-book form. I don't like audiobooks very much. The
narrators usually sound very different than the narrator in my head and I find
it distracting. I also read really fast and audiobooks take too long. I have
very little free time right now, what with my writing, family, and animals, so
I have to cram the books in as fast as I can. Right now I’m reading a book for
book club called Extraordinary People by Peter May. I didn’t choose it,
but he’s a great writer, so it’s a pleasure to read.

DAB: I don't know how you find the time to read, what with your prolific output of writing. What
would you say then is the most satisfying thing about being a bestselling
author?The most difficult?EC: The
most satisfying thing is getting messages from my fans telling me how much they
like my work. Especially when people tell me how one of my books helped them
through a hard time or made them laugh so hard they peed their pants or woke
their spouse up in the middle of the night when they were reading in bed. I
know about that experience from a reader's perspective, so it's really
flattering to hear somebody saying it about my work. The most difficult part of
becoming a more popular writer is that it tends to bring the online trolls out
to play. They can be very unkind which is demotivating for a writer. Writing is
a creative endeavor, and if your heart isn’t in it, it's almost impossible to
do. Trolls kill creativity_; at least, that’s how it is for me.DAB: Unrelentingly true. When life becomes difficult, writing becomes impossible. How does your mood/emotional state
affect your writing (life situations, bad reviews, etc.), and how do
you deal with the down timesEC: Well,
the most critical thing someone’s ever said is that I’m dead stupid and should
never even think of writing another book for the rest of my life, but that kind
of garbage isn’t helpful and really isn’t about me so much as it’s about an
angry, mentally unbalanced person with free access to the Internet. As silly as
those kinds of reviews are, and even though I can rationally tell myself that
it’s just a person blowing off steam, it still makes it difficult for me to
work after reading one. What I’ll do nowadays is read all the negative reviews
on a certain day, prepare myself as best I can for the anger and vitriol, and
then take a couple days off to cry and hate myself before I get over it and go
back to work. lol. (not kidding, but lol anyway) I do, however, get helpful
writing tips from reader reviews, those that are actually discussing the book
and not me as an author: things like a romance happening too fast, not enough
description of a character to get a good picture, cliffhangers (I ignore any
complaints about those, haha), etc. If enough people tell me something they
didn’t like about a book, character, or series, I am definitely thinking about
it as I write the next book, assuming I agree with it. Sometimes I think a
reader just didn’t get what I was trying to do with a certain character or
scene, so I just let it go. But if I think their gripe is legit, I work to be
better next time.DAB: Oh yeah. I've had my fair share of reviewers angry about cliffhangers too. However, it's good to hear you've learned to take those in stride and kept on plugging away. Now that we're here at the end of our interview, do you have any
further advice you’d like to offer the authors in our audience?

EC: Ignore the haters. Even
the most amazing authors in the history of writing have them, and none of us
should expect to be different or allow those jerks to define who we are as
authors. It was my readers who gave me that advice.I’m often asked to give advice to to aspiring
authors. Here’re my 2 cents: Write. Don’t just dream about writing, or talk
about wanting to write, or read about writing, or do practice exercises
designed to help you learn how to write. Just write. And then keep doing that.
You can’t have a career as a writer if you can’t finish writing a book. Then,
once you’ve done that, edit over and over until it’s the best you can do. Then
ask for feedback from trusted, gentle sources. If you have problems with your
writing, read a book or two on writing and edit again. You’ll never be a good
writer if you don’t WRITE. Also, if you don’t read a lot, you should probably
read at least 50 books in your preferred genre before you even start to write
in it, because you have to know what readers of that genre will be looking for.
Reader expectations must be met always and exceeded whenever possible. If
you’re not a big reader, I don’t think it’s possible to be a big writer.Sage advice, Elle, though I still wonder where you find the time to read what with all the writing you do. Keep at it, though, and we'll keep reading.

If you haven't had a chance to read any of Elle Casey's work, dear readers, she's got plenty of material to choose from in a wide variety of genres to satisfy your tastes. I can personally recommend her sci-fi space opera series DRIFTERS' ALLIANCE. Now I'm off to sample the first in her ten book series WAR OF THE FAE so I can see why Tim the pixie is such a favorite character of hers.

Happy reading!

Elle Casey's Bio:ELLE CASEY, a former attorney and teacher, is a NEW YORK TIMES and USA
TODAY bestselling American author who lives in France with her husband, three
kids, and a number of furry friends. She has written books in several genres
and publishes an average of one full-length novel per month.

BOOKS BY ELLE CASEY

ROMANCE
By Degrees
Rebel Wheels (3-book series)
Just One Night (romantic serial)
Just One Week
Love in New York (3-book series)
Shine Not Burn (2-book series), also available as an Audiobook
Bourbon Street Boys (3-book series), also available as an Audiobook
Desperate Measures
Mismatched

ROMANTIC SUSPENSE
All the Glory: How Jason Bradley Went from Hero to Zero in Ten Seconds Flat
Don’t Make Me Beautiful
Wrecked (2-book series), Book 1 also available as an Audiobook

CONTEMPORARY URBAN FANTASY
War of the Fae (10-book series) *Book 1, The Changelings, is a free ebook at
most retailers*
Ten Things You Should Know About Dragons (short story, The Dragon Chronicles)
My Vampire Summer
Aces High

A personal note from Elle ...
If you've enjoyed any of my books, please take a moment to leave a review on
the site where you bought this book, Goodreads, or any book blogs you
participate in, and tell your friends! I love interacting with my readers, so
if you feel like shooting the breeze or talking about books or your family or
pets, please visit me. You can find me at ...

Friday, September 23, 2016

Have I got a real treat for you today, dear readers! I stumbled upon Elle Casey during one of her freebie promotion days for her sci-fi space opera adventure series DRIFTERS' ALLIANCE (read my review HERE). It was such an enjoyable read, I quickly downloaded books two and three in the series and devoured them. Her characters are rich. They're flawed. They have pasts, presents, and are dreaming of futures yet to be realized - and I can hardly wait to jump back on board the spaceship DS Anarchy for additional adventures with Captain Cass and Company.

While I was in full geek-out mode, I took a chance and contacted Elle through her website (www.ellecasey.com) to see if she'd be willing to let me interview her for the blog - and she graciously agreed, answering not just some but all of my questions. Thus, please join me today for part one of this interview and get to know bestselling author, Elle Casey.

DAB: Welcome, Elle! You’ve
been an attorney, a teacher, and now a bestselling author.Tell us a little of what the progression was
like through your various careers, and how it prepared you for the life you’re
living as an author today.EC: I’m
the kind of person who gets interested in a particular topic or subject and
then I research the heck out of it. And if it interests me beyond that,
sometimes I turn it into a career. I've done that several times, in fact.
(stock broker, insurance sales, restaurateur, medical devices, etc.) But I'm
also the kind of person who, once I have mastered something, I get bored with
it. That goes for jobs and it also goes for places where I live. So I guess you
could say I've been a bit nomadic in both my work and private lives. Most of my
life, the people who love me would make offhand comments about me being flaky
(“She can’t settle down, she’s always starting something new.”) But as it turns
out, this kind of life can turn a person into a great storyteller. I've met
many kinds of people, I've worked in a lot of different environments, and I've
lived in a lot of places. You will see bits of that in all of the books I
write.DAB: Well here's one reader that hopes you won't give up this particular writing career anytime soon. You’re
an American living in France.How did
you arrive at the decision to make the move, and did moving to France influence
your decision to pursue a novel writing career?EC: My
husband and I decided to take a one year timeout with the kids so that we could
all learn about another culture and take a break from the rat race. But once we
were here, we didn't want to leave. So that put me in the position of having to
figure out a way to make a living here. At first, I was working as a teacher,
but as everybody knows, teacher salaries aren't so great. Self-publishing came
along at just the right moment.DAB: I come from a family full of teachers, so I can definitely appreciate that aspect. Was
it exciting, frightening, nerve-wracking, or simply business-as-usual to move
from the corporate/business environment to self-publishing?

EC: It
was just plain exciting! I did it while I was also working as a teacher, so I
had nothing to lose and everything to gain by trying.DAB: So I guess we could say teaching was your transition career between being an attorney and an author. So at this point, which
of your novels is your favorite?EC: They
all take a piece of me to put together and they all pull from my life or my
history in one way or another. My favorite might be Apocalypsis because
I dreamed of a post-apocalyptic world often as a teen, wondering what I’d do to
survive. I also love War of the Fae because the characters are so crazy
and I adore supernatural stuff. There will always be a part of me that believes
vampires, witches, elves, and fairies exist here with us. No one will ever be
able to convince me they don’t.DAB: Maybe they're all part of that world in a galaxy far, far away. Speaking of other galaxies, I’ve
read your DRIFTERS’ ALLIANCE series and loved the three books thus far.Where did the germ that sprang into the idea
for this series come from?

EC: I’m
a big fan of the television series Firefly. My husband and I were always
looking for something similar on TV, but there's not much out there. So, I
decided to write my own story. I would love to see it on television one day.DAB: Me too! Total Firefly geek. Personally, I'd love to see your DA novels become the next space opera TV series. Now who would play the ginger twins???But sci-fi aside, you
write in a broad category of other genres such as romance, mystery, etc.Have you experienced unexpected challenges to
writing under and juggling so many hats?EC: I
write in several genres including action-adventure, contemporary urban fantasy,
romance, romantic thriller, paranormal, paranormal romance, science fiction,
and post-apocalyptic dystopian fiction. I really believe there are no genre or
subject matter limits to what indie authors can publish. Indies can write in
any genre, and that work will be accepted by readers around the world. In fact,
I believe that indie writing lends itself to a much broader spectrum of fiction
than what has been accepted by the traditional publishing world. Right
now indie authors are setting the trends, and traditional publishers are
playing catch-up. But there’s a valid reason for it. It’s all about the
cost of doing business. Traditional publishing companies like to make sure that
their marketing money is being spent as efficiently as possible, therefore they
limit their authors to a specific genre so that every dollar they spend can be
focused on a single group of readers that’s very easy to find and identify and
“speak" to. If an author were to write in several genres, that marketing
money could be wasted, in that they’d be talking to the wrong people sometimes
and they’d have to build up and attract a new audience for each genre. I’m sure
they see it as re-inventing the wheel over and over. It’s true to say that reader-fans
don’t always cross over and read other genres written by their favorite
authors. Many of my readers have told me that they will read all the romance
novels I write, but they won't touch the other genres that I write in; and, on
the other hand, I have readers who will only read my fantasy or paranormal work
and nothing else. From a marketing dollar perspective, it's very
expensive to have to build new audiences for each genre, but indie authors
don't really worry about this kind of thing, in general. Indie authors write
what excites them, write what they're interested in reading, or write what they
think their readers are looking for. Indie authors are not limited by a company
head above them telling them what they can and cannot do. Personally, I like to
read in all these genres, and I also get bored writing in the same genre all
the time.

DAB: I second that. It's nice as an indie to be able to write what we enjoy without all of those restrictions. You've mentioned many different genres in which you write, so that's got to translate to quite a few books. How
many total books written/published are you up to now?EC: I
currently have 44 published works (this includes full-length novels, serials
and short stories).DAB: In three/four years as an author? That's incredible! Have
you found certain genres perform better than others?If so, what’s your take on the reasons for
this genre performance?EC: The
romance genre performs better than any of the others because the market is so
big and readers of romance tend to be very voracious. They read more books in a
the year than any other genre reader, I’m convinced of that. A close second
would be mystery/thriller readers, but that genre is more popular in the UK
than the US. Lately, science fiction has started to jump, and I'm really
excited about that. It's one of my favorite genres to watch on television and
in the movies. My Drifters’ Alliance science fiction space opera has been
really well-received.DAB: Uh, big fan here if I've yet to make that clear. What
project(s) are you currently pounding out that we might see later in 2016/2017 (please say DA4)?

EC: Yes!
DA 4, 5, and 6 actually—they’re coming next year. I have more War of the Fae
coming this year. I also have a 4th book in the Bourbon Street Boys
series in process right now. You can check my website for my full publishing
schedule: http://www.ellecasey.com/publishing-schedule/.DAB: Okay, here's something I ask every interviewee who visits the blog, and I get some very interesting answers sometimes. Are
you a plotter or a pantser (i.e. to outline or not to outline, that is the
question)?EC: I
don’t use outlines to write; I’m a total Pantser. I’m never in control of my
stories. Never ever. I just take dictation of what I see and hear them
doing/saying in my head. My stories go wherever the characters take them. When
I try to outline it ends up being a waste of time.DAB: I'm so glad to hear you say that! I'm a Pantser as well, but most Plotters shake their finger at me and tell me they get a much higher output when they outline. However, your
reported word count output per day is astounding.Tell us what word count you’ve been running lately,
and advice you would give other authors on how to increase their daily volume.EC: It
totally depends on how close the deadline is. If I set a short deadline, I can
do as much as 10k a day for several days in a row. I can do more than that but
it’s mentally exhausting and then I need a break. 5k a day is very reasonable
for me. I would say that practice makes perfect. Getting into the swing of
writing is like anything else; you have to do a lot of it before it starts
feeling natural. I’ve also started doing dictation using a dictaphone and
uploading to Dragon. That makes it much easier to hit my targets.

DAB: Hmm, I might have to try that too. To get all of this writing done, do
you keep a regular writing schedule or do you write all hours of the day and
night as the muse nags?EC: I
have a schedule but it’s flexible. I write at all hours of the day and night
depending on what else is going on in my life.DAB: Do
you ever write to music or do you prefer silence?EC: I
need either silence or white noise. Anything that can distract me, will! So
anything with lyrics is out, anything I can hum to, etc.DAB: Uh-oh! The writer's death knell. That reminds me - I've read references on your site about what you call ‘squirrels’.Care to explain this term to our audience and
how to deal with these pesky critters that plague us as writers?EC: Squirrels
are, quite simply, distractions. The reference comes from that movie Up
where there's a talking dog who’s having a conversation with somebody and then
stops and whips his head to the side and says, “Squirrel!” Most dogs are
distracted by those little critters. And writers are distracted by Facebook,
Twitter, email, laundry, spouses, kids, etc etc. The list of writing squirrels
is endless and ignoring them is a daily battle.DAB: Which is why my desk is covered in notepads. Squirrels are an insanity-inducing challenge some days. Speaking of which, did
your husband and children ever question your sanity when you told them you were going to quit your day job and write novels?EC: Never,
because I think it had been pretty well established already that I wasn't sane
in the first place. Haha. Ask anyone who loves me. . . they’ll tell you I’m a
little crazy. My husband’s favorite line is: “Life with you is never boring.”DAB: Well, hey - if life got boring, what would you write about? So that brings us to another big question. You could've gone the traditional route and spent time writing and sending out queries to agents and publishers instead of taking such a big risk and publishing on your own. What
advice would you give someone considering traditional publishing versus
self-publishing?EC: My
advice to other people considering self-publishing is to absolutely jump in there
and do it. Nobody's going to come knocking on your door asking you to write a
book for them, but there are plenty of people out there who want to read what
you have to write, I promise. And they’ll pay you for it! Also I wouldn't
bother with the traditional publishing process because it takes so long, and
the market is flooded with people doing that. Besides, you really don't need a
gatekeeper between yourself and your readers. Let the readers decide if you're
a good writer. Let the readers give you the very valuable feedback you will
need in order to improve your skills; and then, after you've had some success
as a writer to the real people who matter— that is the readers — go
ahead and send a query letter out if you still feel the need. At least following
this path you will have the confidence you need to push through the closed
doors you’re apt to find. The most pleasing aspect of self-publishing for me
has absolutely been the reader response to my work. I suspect that had I sent
out query letters to agents, I would have run into a lot of closed doors. I
never had to deal with that as an indie writer. I love being able to speak
directly with my readers about my work and to share in their enthusiasm over
it.As I mentioned before, Elle was so gracious to answer every question I posed to her, I decided to break the interview up into two parts. Stay tuned next week for some additional insight into the world of Elle Casey, self-publishing, and what it takes to become a bestselling author.In the meantime, happy reading!

Wednesday, August 17, 2016

If you're into the whole sci-fi space opera genre (think Firefly, Star Trek, etc.) then you need to pick up Elle Casey's DRIFTERS' ALLIANCE series. Thus far it's only three books, but more are on the way - and I can hardly wait.

Now onto the show.

Book Blurb:

One hand of cards and it's all over but the crying...

Cass Kennedy finally gets what she's been dreaming of for the past ten years: a drifter ship to call her own. All the sim time and battle training is going to pay off in spades as she sets her course for the future. She'll be living on her own terms, not those of her father.

But drifting through deep space with a crew of nutty strangers on the DS Anarchy carries a lot more surprises than she bargained for. Nobody told her that her ship is falling apart, that dead chickens are something you really want to hang on to, and that the OSG has big plans for the universe that don't necessarily jibe with her plans for herself.

Jump onboard with Cass and her crew as she charts a course toward an alliance that will either make her or break her as Captain of the DS Anarchy.

My Review:

Through a game of chance, Cass Kennedy has done the impossible - become captain of her very own drifter ship at the ripe age of nineteen. Now she can explore the far reaches of dark space with her crew and escape farther from the clutches of the OSG - and her father, a major general of the Omega Systems Group elite command.

But the title of captain comes with its own set of challenges - and mutiny doesn't just happen on the Bounty. Throw in a questionable stowaway, and Cass' maiden voyage at the helm of the DS Anarchy might just be her last.

Especially if she can't avoid the OSG's warships and those hunting her down for escaping their elite clutches three years ago. Her only hope? Become a member of a freedom alliance of other drifter ships.

DRIFTERS' ALLIANCE has a great cast of characters in the vein of that short-lived TV show Firefly. Cass is no wilting flower and has a closet full of skeletons that threaten to expose her and the crew to the mighty and merciless hand of the OSG's ruling order. But all crew members, both old and new, hide behind secrets of their own. Each is drawn as unique, three-dimensional individuals which makes them feel like they could leap from the pages into the real world.

The action takes time to ramp up, but the characters drive the plot forward in the interim, which keeps the pace from bogging down and avoids devolving into a bunch of telling. The reader is simply dropped into the characters' lives where they are without resorting to a bunch of world-building info dumps. Instead the world-building is nicely interwoven into the storyline as it plays out.

Editing is smooth and clean, with only one tiny error I noticed in the entire story. DRIFTERS' ALLIANCE is a quick and entertaining read, with each of the three episodes thus far at just around two hundred pages - and yes, I've already read all three books and am anxiously awaiting the next release. Five stars from me.

Content Warning: Strong language is sprinkled throughout, but it fits with the characters and the nature of the story. Some mild sexual jokes but nothing you wouldn't hear in school or the office. The following books in the series have some violence and blood with danger to the characters, but again not terribly graphic.

Books one through three can be purchased by clicking here on AMAZON, B&N, and anywhere else books are sold.

Author Bio:

ELLE CASEY, a former attorney and teacher, is a NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY bestselling American author who lives in France with her husband, three kids, and a number of furry friends. She has written books in several genres and publishes an average of one full-length novel per month.

Sunday, August 7, 2016

Hello again, dear readers. I've got a review for you today for a dark, twisted thriller. Stacy Green's Lucy Kendall series book one ALL GOOD DEEDS deals with the subject of pedophiles and human trafficking of children. Oh yes, and murder - Old West style - so this isn't for the faint of heart. My review is for book one in the series, but I bought and read the package deal of all four books in the series (not including the prequel novella) and recommend you do the same.

If the free first book doesn't make you squirm too much.

Book Blurb:
She's no killer. She's just taking out the trash.

Don’t call Lucy Kendall a serial killer. She’s fighting for the innocent, and she’ll do whatever it takes to bring justice.

When a child disappears, Lucy quickly discovers the link to a predator she’s faced before–a man the state of Pennsylvania decided to turn loose on the streets. Determined to find the little girl and put a criminal behind bars for good, Lucy forces her way onto the case.

As the search for the kidnapped child pulls Lucy into a web of evil beyond her darkest imagination, she’ll have to face her own dark truths to save the little girl–and herself.

Packed with suspense, All Good Deeds is a dark psychological thriller with a finely crafted mystery that takes readers into the deepest recesses of the human psyche.

My Review:
This would've been a five star if not for all of the editing errors (missing words, transpositions, wrong words used, etc.). As is, I'm giving it four and ahalf stars because everything else about it is fantastic - if you can stomach the subject matter.

Lucy Kendall is a former social worker who quit the system when child pedophiles kept going free because of legal loopholes. Since then she's obtained her PI license and been on a quest of her own choosing - finding and killing these repeat offenders before they can destroy any other lives. Lucy practices justice like they did in the Old West - vigilante style.

But killing - even for honorable reasons - is taking a toll on her psyche. Then someone discovers her secret.

Chris tags along with Lucy in hopes of stemming his own fascination with serial killers - and he has secrets of his own he can't keep in the closet. When another neighborhood child goes missing, Lucy and Chris discover there are worse things out there on the World Wide Web - and they're in a race to bring down this child trafficking site before another little girl is lost in the ether forever.

Such dark subject matter we have here, but handled so well without short-circuiting and holding back too much or going over the cliff and showing us everything so awful about such a topic. The plot and pacing races along, just as a thriller should. Point-of-view is handled well without a bunch of head-hopping in each scene. Then we are shown all the way along the gut-wrenching ride instead of resorting to a bunch of telling or info-dumping. This book has everything a great thriller should have. Like I said, four and ahalf stars from me.

Content warning: Because we're dealing with the subject of child pedophiles and human trafficking of children, it's difficult to read at times and the emotions it brings out (especially for someone who has been abused) can be devastating. There's also plenty of language and a few uses of strong language (which seemed a bit overreaching and unnecessary at times), so be aware if you dare.

Author Bio:
Stacy Green is the author of the Lucy Kendall thriller series and the Delta Crossroads mystery trilogy.

ALL GOOD DEEDS (Lucy Kendall #1) won a bronze medal for mystery and thriller at the 2015 IPPY Awards. TIN GOD (Delta Crossroads #1) was runner-up for best mystery/thriller at the 2013 Kindle Book Awards. Stacy has a love of thrillers and crime fiction, and she is always looking for the next dark and twisted novel to enjoy. She started her career in journalism before becoming a stay at home mother and rediscovering her love of writing. She lives in Iowa with her husband and daughter and their three spoiled fur babies. Stacy loves to hear from readers! Visit her website at stacygreenauthor.com, or Facebook at www.Facebook.com/StacyGreenAuthor.

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About Me

I started this blog as an up and coming indie author to take advantage of the rapidly advancing changes in the publishing industry. I love to host blog tours and conduct author interviews and book reviews. It is my pleasure to use this forum to promote authors and inform readers.